Accounts of car crashes told

Young and older guests heard first-hand accounts of the devastation a crash can cause as firefighters supported Road Safety Week 2015

The awareness campaign is led nationally by road safety charity, Brake, whose theme is ‘drive less, live more’.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) took part in a roadshow at the Victoria Theatre that included testimonies from emergency responders as they describe the scene as they arrive at a road traffic collision (RTC) and the aftermath.

There was also a heart-felt story from a bereaved mother whose son died in a road traffic collision in Calderdale and a personal account from a man who is living with disabilities following a crash.

The aim of the show is to educate as many people of all ages, professions and backgrounds as possible.

Karina Gonzalez, District Prevention Assistant for Calderdale, said: “Whilst road traffic collision figures overall have decreased substantially in the last five years, there has still been more than 50 crashes in Calderdale since the beginning of 2015 and three people have died.

“The road show is a high impact production that aims to take young people specifically out of their comfort zone for them to consider the real effect a crash could have on them, their families and friends, not to mention the emergency services.

“Thankfully not many people have experienced being involved in a crash and therefore we aim to give them a detailed account from each emergency service, to make them feel the feelings and to try and imagine the pain and suffering some people go through as a consequence of sometimes not always dangerous, but just complacent, driving.”

Among the speakers was Debbie Nicholson whose son David was killed when his car hit a wall in Stainland Road, Holywell Green, in 2010 .

The funeral of the former Sowerby Bridge High School pupil was one of the biggest ever witnessed at Halifax Minister, with more than 1,400 turning up to pay tribute.